Celestial Choir
The Celestial Choir surrender themselves wholly to the ineffable Fate that Divine Will has decreed, and so they may fully wield the Arcanum of Fate as instruments of that Will. Taking their trappings from the monotheistic religions of the world, such as Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism and Judaism, they surrender themselves to a higher power and see their magic as a manifestation of their God's miraculous omnipotence. The Celestial Choir uses holy symbols taken from these religions and their ceremonies as its ritual tools. Initiation: The Shining Path Requirements: Obrimos (Fate Inferior), Gnosis 1, Prime 1, Fate 1, Academics 1 The fledgeling Chorister gains the Favored Attribute of Presence, the Favored Practices of Knowing, Perfecting and Creating, and Fate becomes a third Ruling Arcanum. The Celestial Choir are a Theurgic tradition. First Attainment: The Will of the Divine Requirements: Gnosis 2, Fate 2, Academics 2 The Celestial Chorister swears an irrevocable, binding oath to serve the Will of the Divine forevermore. For the rest of the mage's life, breaking or manipulating this oath is a sin against Wisdom at rank 1 (2 dice), and breaking the oath results in the Chorister losing access to all Attainments from this Tradition until the Storyteller feels that the transgression has been properly atoned for. In return, she is granted all of the benefits of Swearing an Oath (see pg. 153 of Mage: the Awakening). She additionally gains many of the effects of the Sybil's Sight (pg. 149), gaining subtle hints and visions of where she most needs to be and what she most needs to do. By focusing in prayer for a moment, she may roll Resolve + Composure once per session to get a feel for the innate “rightness” or “wrongness” of a particularly important action or moment, following all the rules for the Common Sense Merit. Second Attainment: Pray for a Miracle Requirements: Gnosis 3, Fate 3, Academics 3 The mage can spend a turn praying for divine intervention on their next action, giving that action the 8-again quality, similar to the spell Superlative Luck (pg. 156). Any use of this ability for frivolous or selfish purposes counts as breaking their sworn oath, and should be considered a rank 2 Wisdom sin (2 dice). Optional Arcanum: Prime 3 With Prime 3, the Chorister may learn and perform Benedictions appropriate to her faith, using her Gnosis in lieu of the Benediction merit to determine dice pools. Benedictions for the Catholic faith are listed as Malleus Maleficarum Endowments in Hunter: the Vigil; the Storyteller and player should feel free to come up with equivalent Benedictions for other faiths. Third Attainment: Blessing of Purpose Requirements: Gnosis 4, Fate 4, Academics 4 By witnessing another being's sworn oath, the mage may bless that oath and sanctify it with the power of the Divine. Any actions taken to fulfill the oath automatically gain the rote quality until the purpose is fulfilled, while any actions not directly related to the oath receive a penalty equal to the Chorister's rank in the Fate Arcanum. Actions which would run directly counter to the oath are reduced to a chance die. These effects last until the oath is fulfilled. Attempting to bind another character to an oath against one's own sense of divine justice is a rank 1 Wisdom sin (2 dice). Optional Arcanum: Prime 4 With Prime 4, any supernatural attempt to thwart the fulfillment of the sworn oath is met with magical resistance similar to the Counterspell or Dispel Magic spells (pg. 220). The Potency of any spell or other supernatural effect which would interfere with the fulfillment of the oath is reduced by the Chorister's rank in the Prime Arcanum. Celestial Choir Rotes The Tongues of Men and Angels (Mind ••, Covert) Roll: Presence + Expression + Mind + 1 Cost: None For one scene per success, the Chorister may speak any language, and thus may converse with and understand any sentient being. Even spirits and other ephemeral beings may be spoken to, so long as they can hear and be heard. Loaves and Fishes (Matter ••, Vulgar) Roll: Presence + Survival + Matter + 1 Cost: 1 Mana With this spell, organic matter may be created or transformed to provide a day's sustenance (food, water or both) for one person per success. Other similar effects are likewise possible – water may be transformed into wine, for example. Lay On Hands (Life •••, Covert) Roll: Presence + Medicine + Life + 2 Cost: None By laying hands on the target and praying, all wounds may be mended and all poisons neutralized. Each success heals one point of bashing damage, or converts on point of lethal damage into bashing, or reduces the Toxicity or Virulence of a single poison or disease by 1. Remaining successes may be allocated to Life armor, at 1 point per success. Holy Shield (Prime •••, Covert) Roll: Presence + Occult + Prime + 3 Cost: 1 Mana By performing a benediction of blessing, the target may be warded against all supernatural influence. Each success subtracts one die from the dice pool of any spell or other supernatural effect that would harm or influence the subject. Alternatively, a weapon or vial of water may be enchanted so that it may harm ephemeral beings. Weapons so blessed deal their normal damage to ephemeral beings, while holy water, communion wafers or other oddments count as improvised weapons. The weapon or object may deal damage for one attack per success achieved on the casting roll, before the enchantment fades. Category:Mage Category:Tradition Category:Obrimos Category:Theurges